Landing mechanism for aeroplanes



Y April '3 1929. J. ROYLES 1,110,290

LANDING- MECHANISM FOR AEROPLANBS Original Filed March 1, 1926 2 Sheds-Sheet 1 e/Z/IWZI B gyles,

April 23, 1929. J. E. BROYLES LANDING MECHANISM FOR AEROPLANES Original Filed March 1, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet c/Zmlifiry Zea,

Guan ne Patented Apr. 23,1929.

UNITED STATES uiazzea PATENT OFFICE.

J'OIIEIIil' ENLOE BROYLES, 0F ENTIAT, WASHINGTON.

' LANDING MECHANISM FOR AEROPLANES.

Refiled for abandoned application Serial No. 91,557, filed March 1, 1926. This application filed September 12, 1928. Serial No. 305,585. r

The present. invention relates to landing mechanism for aeroplanes.

The object of the invention is to provide an improved landing mechanism for aeroplanes whereby it is possible for the aeroplanes to land on the roof of a building without the necessity of coasting a considerable distance. The mechanism prevents accidents and functions as a brake for retarding the momentum of the aeroplane after the same has landed on the roof of the building.

Another very important object of the invention is tofiprovidc an improved brake mechanism operable from the interior of the aeroplane.

Another very important object of the present invention is the provision of a landing mechanism for aeroplanes which embodies a platform that may be mounted on a superairship so that aeroplanes may land thereon without the necessity of coasting a considerable distance.

With the above and other objects in view as the same will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the novel features of construction, and in the combination and arrangement of parts as will be hereinafter more fully described and claimed.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is afragmentary top plan view of the roof of a building.

Figure 2 is a? sectional elevation of an aero-' plane illustrating my improved landing and brake mechanism.

Figure 3 is a top plan view thereof.

Figure 4 is a sectional view through the landing and brake mechanism.

Figure 5 is'a detail sectional elevation of the landing mechanism, and

Figure 6 is -a section through the landing trackway formed in the roof of the building.

In a large terminal station such as is contemplated in my said co-pending application, numerous aeroplanes will be continuously landing on the roof thereof, and in view of the fact that after an aeroplane lands it must coast for a considerable distance, there is a great danger of a collision, because there would probably be a large number of aeroplanes and airships on the roof, and consequently I desire to provide means whereby an aeroplane may land in as little space as is possible.

With this end in view, I provide at desired points on the roof 80 of the building, landing trackways indicated by the numerals 70. These trackways are formed preferably by providing elongated recesses 71 having the overhanging flanges 72 extending longitudinally thereof. The ends of the recesses are flared outwardly as is indicated at 78. All aeroplanes which are to land on the roof structure just described will be provided with landing brake devices.

Each brake device includes a tube 74 mounted vertically in the aeroplane and slidably receiving a plunger 75 having a reduced inner extension 76 to the end of which is attached a cable 77 trained over sheave 78, on the upper end of the tube. A spring 79 is interposed between the upper end of the tube 74, and the upper end of the plunger 75 and about the reduced extension 76. This spring is tcnsioncd to normally hold the plunger extended from the tube 74. The plunger may be retracted into the tubular member 74 by the operation of a winch mechanism 80 provided in the aeroplane and about which the cables 77 are windable. On the ends of the plungers 75 'there are mounted shoes 81. Each shoe 81 is provided with a pointed front end 82 which is beveled as is indicated at 83 for entering the flared ends of the trackways 70.

An extension 84 is formed at the rear end of the shoe 81 and brake wings 85 are hinged to the rear corners of the shoe 81 as at 86, and springs 87 are interposed between the brake wings 85 and the extension 84 so as to normally hold the wings 85 outwardly. This normal position is indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 4.

It will therefore be seen that as the aeroplane lands, so that the shoes 81 enter the end of a trackway 70, that the brake shoes 85 will be held in firm frictional engagement with the side walls of the recess 71 of the trackway 70, thereby breaking the momentum of the aeroplane. It is preferable to provide each aeroplane with two of the landing and brake devices, both operable from the frame which as is indicated in Figs. 2 and 3. This, however, is not necessary. Thus the aeroplane may come to a stop within a very short length of space as compared to present conditions.

The roof 60, if desired, may be considered as a platform incorporated in a superairship such as is contemplated in my allowed application bearing Serial No. i6,61?', tiled July 28, 1925. Such a platform has all-the advantages of the roof as outlined above. It is also apparent that the roof or platform 60 may be magnetized so as to assist in the braking of an aeroplane landing thereon when said aeroplane is equipped with the shoe 81 and associated mechanism outlined in detail above.

It is thought that the construction operation and advantages of this invention will now be clearly understood Without a more detailed description thereof. The present embodiment of the invention has been disclosed in detail, since in actual practice it attains the features of advantage enumerated as desirable in the statement of the invention and in the above description.

It is apparent that changes in the details of construction and in the combination and arrangement of parts may be resorted to, without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed.

In this application, I have added a brace cable 20 to the disclosure in my application Serial No. 58,382. One end of the cable 20 is fixed to the forward portion of the fuselage at the bottom thereof, and the other end is Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new isi .1. An aeroplane landing attachment including a shoe, an extension disposed rearwardly of the shoe, brake wings hinged to the shoe, and springs disposed between the brake wings and the extensions to hold said wings extended outwardly for frictional engagement with a trackway.

2. An aeroplane landing mechanism including a tube, a plunger movable in the tube, a spring for normally holding said plunger extended from the tube, and a brake shoe on the end of the tube, said brake shoe including an extension, a pair of pivoted Wings and springs between the Wings and the extension to hold said Wings away from the extension to frictionally engage the trackway.

3. An aeroplane landing attachment including a shoe, the forward end of the tube being pointed and beveled, an extension on the intermediate portion of the rear of said shoe, brake Wings hinged to the corners of the shoe, and springs disposed between the brake Wings and the extensions to hold said brake wings extended outwardly for frictional engagement with a trackway.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

JOHN ENLOE BROYLES. 

